Leaked 'Life By You' Screenshots Reveal Abandoned Google Game

Recently surfaced screenshots offer a poignant look at Paradox Interactive's cancelled life simulator, Life by You. The images, shared online by former developers, reveal the game's considerable progress before its untimely demise.

Life by You's Cancellation: A Second Look

Fans Praise Visual and Character Model Enhancements

The cancellation of Paradox Interactive's highly anticipated Life by You continues to resonate with fans. New screenshots, compiled on Twitter (X) by @SimMattically, showcase the work of former artists like Richard Kho, Eric Maki, and Chris Lewis, whose individual portfolios and websites further detail their contributions. Chris Lewis' GitHub page, for example, documents animation progress, scripting, and advancements in lighting, modding tools, shaders, and VFX.

These images provide a detailed look at Life by You's potential. While not drastically different from the final gameplay trailer, fans highlight notable improvements. One fan commented, expressing widespread disappointment, "We were all incredibly excited, then hugely let down… :( It could have been amazing!"

The screenshots reveal refined character customization with enhanced sliders and presets, alongside more detailed and atmospheric environments. Outfits, seemingly part of the base game, showcase diverse styles appropriate for various weather conditions and seasons.

Paradox Interactive's Deputy CEO, Mattias Lilja, explained the cancellation, stating that the game "lacked in some key areas" and that a satisfactory release was too uncertain and time-consuming. CEO Fredrik Wester echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the team's hard work but concluding that further development wouldn't yield a sufficiently polished product.

The cancellation shocked many, given the game's anticipated competition with EA's The Sims franchise. The abrupt closure of development and the subsequent shuttering of Paradox Tectonic, the studio behind the project, left a lasting impact on the gaming community.